In a Daze
by Shadowfang3000
Summary: "Love moves in mysterious ways." - After a day of cleaning the house, Ragna decides to calm down with a nice and calm bath. However, things don't quite go that way when a certain someone arrives home from work earlier than expected with guilt ruling her conscience.


(A/N) My, how I missed writing for this pairing :P

Now, it's been quite some time since I wrote Tsundere Kokonoe, but I'm hoping that over time my presentation for her has improved. With that in mind, I considered what sort of plot a Tsundere Cat woman would be best in...

Then I remembered baths! :D

I have no idea where this concept actually came from, but one day whilst brainstorming around five other fics that I need to get done it just burst into life with great enthusiasm. Maybe it's because it's full of some sort of metaphorical and symbolic meaning... Or maybe it's just because it has so much cuteness potential if it goes well...

"If" being the key word in that regard :l

Let's get this going. Sorry if you're disappointed, but I've become rather rusty over the past few months because of all of my matter-of-fact History essays ._.

Just a note: It'd probably be a good idea to read my other Kokonoe and Ragna stories before this one, namely "Shaky Foundations", "Sitting Pretty" and "The Hickey". They should help set up the relationship between the two, because whenever I write for them they're usually already in a relationship... To be honest, that's all you really need to know! xD

WARNING: Lots of spelling errors, a bit of language, lots of perverse bits, a bath scene with consequentially nudity, a poorly written Tsundere Kokonoe and probably a couple of painful attempts at being endearing and Tsun-Tsun at the same time... Funny, kind of like most cosplayers in that regard...

**In A Daze**

_Those bloody gloves had never fit him, had they?_

Slapping the soggy marigolds onto the rim of the draining sink, Ragna eyed the neatly arranged products of his efforts sitting in the washing tray motionlessly. Christ knew why they had so many plates and spoons, but somehow they all got used within a week's worth of meals.

To be truthful, Kokonoe did have the incessant habit of using a plate once before going for a new one. He'd called her out on it once, but the resulting glare he received reminded him to hush up about such topics and get back to work. Everyone has their faults; she had her lack of common sense.

Ragna briefly considered stacking the plates by size and shape and tossing them in their respective cupboards, but he simply didn't have it in him. He had been lazing about, but what had started with him spilling a drink on the living room carpet and cleaning up the mess had quickly degenerated into a six hour preening spree across the apartment.

_How those French Maids did it, he'd never know._

He had a hunch that Kokonoe wasn't going to come home tonight. The hard-working scientist was a determined woman, and it was unlike her to leave the lab without a very firm reason to do so. Fatigue wasn't really an important reason in her eyes, much to Ragna's chagrin. While she probably had no quarrels with the concept, he wasn't exactly fond of being forced to carry her to the bedroom whenever she passed out at the door.

The sink gurgled, its maw swallowing the last of the foamy water loudly. Leaning against the counter with spread arms, Ragna considered what to do next. Glancing at the novelty cuckoo clock that sat over the oven awkwardly, he spied that the time was ten forty-four - enough time for another hour or so of tasks. Swivelling around on the panelled kitchen floor like a reject from a nightclub, he strutted down the length of the room before popping out into the lounge.

_Having a drink._

_That's a task, in a sense._

Flopping onto the sofa and swinging his legs onto the coffee table in a well-trained singular motion, Ragna reached over for his coffee and took a sip. Still maintaining that very same singular motion, he proceeded to spit out the freezing six-hour old mud and slammed the mug back onto its coaster sloppily.

"G-God...!" He sputtered, hanging his tongue from his lips like an energetic hound. Whinging for a few moments, he eventually came to his senses and settled back down as if nothing had happened to him.

_Well, that diminished quickly_

Ragna proceeded to do what he did best alongside brawling crazed psychos, which was the age old act of slobbing around. Slouching into his chair, he whistled to himself forlornly to pass the time.

_Yippie ki-yay._

_Such fun._

It was embarrassing really, but having a long spring clean of the entire building had given him something useful to do. It'd once been quite a chore to brush around and hoover the ground, but with time he'd started approaching it quite pleasantly. It was strange, but he truly enjoyed living life like _this_.

Maybe it was just his desire for a normal life biting onto his sleeve like a rabid dog? Being on the run for most of your life tended to drain your patience and joy like a leech or lawyer biting onto your neck, but having some place he could call _home_; having a place he had to maintain and repair?

_It was tranquil._

_Wasn't it just so ordinary?_

Part-way through his meaningful self-dialogue, Ragna made the foolish mistake of scratching his nose. Most people probably didn't have such a strange quirk, but whenever he had an itch on the nose he always felt compelled to smell himself. Maybe life with a cat was rubbing off on him, but that faint twitch around the nostrils felt like some sort of warning of the foul toxins he may had been polluting the local atmosphere with.

So, with gusto his smelt himself.

_Sweat._

_With a hint spilt day-old coffee._

Testing the dampness of the brown stain that had emerged on his shirt, he hauled himself to his two long legs and stretched his limbs with reckless abandon. It'd probably take no more than half-an-hour for a quick bath before bed - it wasn't like he was a woman or anything.

He'd never quite worked out that quirk with females, but it was something even Kokonoe seemed to possess whenever she wasn't on a working spree - where she'd rarely even _eat_, let alone wash. While a bloke like him would just hop in, wash, then hop out to return to weight-lifting or maybe building a shelf, women tended to spend the best part of an ice age just laying about doing nothing.

What could they be doing in there? It doesn't take more than an hour to wash yourself; were they taking naps or something? Kokonoe had once said to him about how baths were a waste of her working time, so why in the name of the Azure did she then proceed to hog their small white bathroom for the length of a reasonable action film?

_Another one of life's great mysteries._

Gracefully prancing across the corridor on his lonesome, he counted each and every identical doorway until he came to the one he sought. Running a gauntleted hand through his greasy snow-white locks, he twisted the handle and pushed the oaken door open with his shoulder. Within an instant the smell of fresh bath soaps violated his nostrils aggressively, taking his mind off guard.

Adjusting to the peculiar smell of freshness that the bathroom seemed to possess, he hobbled over to the white enamel tub and twisted the hot and cold taps in perfect unison. A torrent of water crashed into the bath, a small black plug having already been placed in the drain pre-emptively. Seized by a sudden sense of laziness, Ragna perched himself onto the freezing rim of the bath and began to slowly remove his gloves. He'd rarely have his hands bare, and he had to admit he felt rather cold exposing them to the chill of the room.

_Well, one of them at least._

His ebon artificial limb sat awkwardly in place, standing out clearly from his pale white flesh. It was a fashion disaster in retrospect, but at least white and black tended to go well together. The bathwater slowly rose, gentle and elegant strips of mist and steam slithering away from the boiling liquid. With a little bit more time to waste, Ragna took it upon himself to have a quick gussy at the medical cabinet. As expected his flesh was as clear as usual, although a thin layer of stubble had started to make itself known along his jawline. He wasn't a fan of facial hair, so it looked like he was going to have to shave in a few days.

The bathwater settled at the perfect depth. Rolling up his sleeve, he turned the taps and daringly dived his arm into the untested waters of the tub. If the succeeding yowl and chorus of swearing wasn't enough to confirm your suspicions, it was _certainly_ hot enough. Sucking on his reddened finger like an emotional schoolboy, he eventually stripped himself down and hopped into the boiling embrace before him.

_They didn't call him the Grim Reaper for nothing, mind you._

Assuming the lounge position in a slow, agonised manner, he eventually found a comfortable posture and kept it firm within the small bathtub. Considering the bath was designed to fit your average Japanese woman in, his towering height certainly helped him lodge himself into place. As expected, he gradually adapted to the scalding heat of the tub until finally he was surprisingly comfortable in its liquid embrace.

He exhaled loudly, the thick fumes of the steaming water making the air heavy with moisture. Lazily resting his feet against the wall opposite of him, Ragna simply sat back and relaxed. He had an hour to himself, so he might as well enjoy himself in the warmth. Childishly he wiggled his fingers in the water, observing ripples as they bounced from limb to wall aimlessly.

_'Twas a curious thing._

Come to think of it, he actually remembered the day they got the bath installed. Kokonoe was never a fan of a quick and convenient shower, much unlike Ragna in that sense. So, as usual when they came to a cross-roads they debated until they came to a compromise.

_In this case, it was certainly a heated debate._

_A lot of "tongue and cheek" for sure._

Rest assured, it didn't take long for Kokonoe to convince him to vote in her favour. She had a way with words, at least when it came to him and his inability to say no to the grumpy cat woman. It didn't take any greater effort for her to get him to install the damn plumbing for the thing, even though he had no bloody idea what he was doing.

The woman had a profound sense of control over him, no matter how loudly and frequently he denied it. Maybe it was the fact that in the end she was probably just as powerful as him? Maybe it was because she had the brains of several high-powered computers over him? Maybe it was just the trivial truth that she owned the roof over his head?

_Maybe it was because he loved her with all of his burning heart?_

He chuckled at himself for such a corny thought, but in his experience it seemed the most generic and simple of beliefs were the ones he felt firmest about. In some ways he and Kokonoe were identical - both had pasts they'd rather forget; regrets aplenty in their tedious and worthless lives. It only made sense that two such sad people would come together, keeping each other going with constant arguments and witty exchanges. As bitter as it appeared to any outsider, it meant nothing: The two were in love, it was just how they lived.

_No two cases of affection are identical._

_Love moves in mysterious ways._

Whenever someone comes up to you and insults you, how do _you_ react? Many people shrivel away, but he and Kokonoe were the sort that fought back - fire with fire. With anger comes a sense of pride, and while arrogant it certainly instils you with a furious sense of self-esteem that keeps you kicking and screaming. They had eachother to keep that process going, and it worked perfectly.

Ragna remembered the last time they randomly had a go at eachother. It must've been something stupid; a comment on his habits, or maybe an accusation of laziness directed towards her. They roared at eachother for at least two hours, but by the end of that they'd collapsed into one-another's arms with the affection and lust of two teenagers on their first date. Hugs and kisses sealed the wounds, and for the rest of the week it was all smiles and joy.

_Just how he liked it._

At last his stubborn body had adjusted to the water, what was once scorching to the flesh sitting comfortably around his figure. He'd get to work on cleaning his grubby self, but he was too busy having a flashback like some sort of brain damaged elderly person. He closed his mismatched eyes happily, recalling her gentle words like they'd just been spoken.

_"I love you... I-I didn't mean anything, Ragna! I promise!"_

Christ almighty, was there anything that girl did that he didn't find cute? She had these weird subtle motions whenever she spoke to indicate how she felt, and in his analysis it seemed whenever she felt loving she'd wiggle her adorable little ears and sway her twin tails back and forth.

Probably the most endearing thing she'd ever done was when post-argument, she let him quietly fiddle with her fluffy little ears. It was funny really, but after such draining and angry exchanges suddenly the power shifted from her to him as if the two were taking turns or something of the like.

Kokonoe was simply a shy person at heart, and he was probably the only person who knew it. Everyone saw here hardass business exterior, yet never had the opportunity to see that the woman behind the know-it-all professor was a gentle soul that felt vulnerable to the critical eye of society. She took insults in her stride externally, but in the back of her head she'd reflect on those words for a good few hours.

_He was glad to be of service to her, and he meant that._

Ragna would've continued returning to the time that had passed, but he was interrupted from his semi-conscious state by the rasp of a rusted lock sliding from its place. After a couple of weak and pathetic bumps, the front door of the apartment burst open accompanied by the sound of rustling keys.

Before the door had even closed he could hear the beating of heavy feet across carpet, followed by marble, followed by carpet again, followed by wood as a light-footed figure swiftly covered the entirety of the building. Crossing a couple of other rooms, his racing heart quickly leaped out of his chest and ran off to hide with his intestines as the bathroom door was knocked on thrice.

"You in there?" Kokonoe grumbled in fatigue, twisting the handle without pause.

_He'd forgotten to lock the bloody thing!_

A couple of options flashed through his mind's eye as the door swung open, but none of them seemed particularly lucrative at this moment in time. Among them was the plan of leaping from the small window by the sink or holding his breath and diving under the soapy shroud of the bathwater, yet he had neither the breath holding skills nor an athlete's pole to vault with. He decided to settle with a rather loud and feminine scream, which arrived a bit too late as she popped her head through the door.

Realising where he was, Kokonoe slipped back out and slammed the door angrily with her rear, scowling to herself in her usual bitter manner. "For god's sake! Lock the door next time you take a bath, jeez!"

"I didn't think you'd be back early!" Ragna retorted, suddenly feeling exposed in his nude glory. Awkwardly remaining in place, he pressed on further. "Shouldn't you wait after knocking anyway?"

Kokonoe didn't respond, which was rather strange considering her usual mood when she returned from work. Coughing to clear her throat, she spoke with a quiet calm that was about three times more terrifying than her angry voice. "... Listen, I need a bath. Get out."

She sounded shagged out, that's for sure. She'd probably been forced to go home early by someone, likely Tager - when it came to work he was the only source of reason she had access to on a frequent basis. "I'm in here now, you're gonna have to wait Koko."

Once again she remained silent, twiddling with her thumbs yet remaining by the door. As bitter as she sounded, Ragna could tell that she wanted someone to talk to for a bit - someone she could pour the distress and rage onto without fear of repercussions. With that in mind, he prompted further speech like a teaching assistant with one of the special children.

"Why'd you come back early anyway? Didn't you say you were going to work overtime tonight?" Ragna inquired, idly gripping onto the bath-rim. Kokonoe already knew his protests about her working hours, so he didn't need to bring that up into the conversation.

"Stupid..." She spat with particular venom, swinging her head back to the door with a loud bump. "I only rested my eyes for a bit, and them damn fools told me to go home and get some sleep. They have no bloody idea, do they?"

"Well, look on the bright side." Ragna chuckled, suddenly finding himself devoid of a bright side to mention. Awkwardly pausing for a few seconds, he spoke up again with the same tone of voice. "... At least you can catch up on sleep and work your full shift tomorrow, eh?"

"Bastards." Kokonoe tutted, kissing her teeth in suppressed rage. Leaning on the handle to scare him and grab his attention, she grinned to herself powerfully. "Now get out of there, I want my bath _now_."

"I'll be done in a moment, cool your jets kitty." He replied snarkily, maintaining his bold facade. "Go get something to eat, knowing you you've probably left your packed lunch in your bag again."

"No." She replied quickly, the rattling door handle freezing in place. After a considerable pause, she spoke up again in the same tone. "... Maybe."

_He could practically hear how flushed she was._

"Then get going." Ragna concluded, returning to washing himself. The lack of response from the woman probably meant she'd gone to do so, surrendering to his pearls of wisdom on a minority case. It was quite irritating that she'd left her lunch again - he'd often wake up in the morning before her for the sole purpose of preparing her something to eat at the desk while writing up papers.

Tuna sandwiches had always been his specialty, but for some reason she went off the concept of tuna when she realised he'd only made it because of her cat-heritage. It was a childish and rude assumption for him to make, but what could he say? He loved tuna as much as she did after all.

Kokonoe had once offered to make breakfast for them both, but that was something he'd quickly banned her from doing in fear of her safety. It's not that she lacked enthusiasm for the pastime, by heavens no - she seemed extremely happy to have made a meal for her lover for once. However, never in his limited experience of cooking had he seen someone burn a single cheese sandwich within a minute of starting.

_They didn't even have a toaster!_

Her grumpy footsteps gradually degenerated into quiet taps as she wandered about the building, most likely searching for the kitchen amongst the many rooms of the complex. She'd never had much success when it came to navigating the winding halls of the apartment, although to be honest she usually only ever came home to sleep.

_Yet again, she slept at her desk quite a lot too._

Ragna swept his foot blindly about his left, brushing it against a bar of soap and hooking it into the water sloppily. Waiting for it to float to his side, he plucked it from its place as if it was a retarded whale surfacing for air and brushed it against his neck. His neck always felt like the dirtiest part of his skin, yet he'd never quite worked out why. It certainly didn't _look _like it was dirty, he could just _feel _it.

Rubbing the slippery bar from shoulder to shoulder, he wondered why he could still hear Kokonoe's feet. While she didn't know the building, he doubted it'd take her that long to find the kitchen. Alas, he was proved wrong when suddenly he heard yet another rap on the door.

"Down the corridor, turn right to the lounge. You'll see it there." He muttered lazily, tapping his blackened claws against the freezing enamel quietly. When she didn't respond, he raised his eyebrow quizzically. "... Koko?"

_Still no response._

The door creaked open with the charm and grace of a B-grade horror movie, a bare foot slapping against the freezing floor on the room. Ragna had a fair share of ideas over what was going on, but none of them were confirmed when he heard her speak up.

"Don't you _dare_ turn around, idiot." Kokonoe growled, slowly pacing towards him. He complied nervously, staring at the wall ahead of him wordlessly. "... A-And close your eyes too!"

"You could tell me what the hell you're doing first!" He yelled, cheeks glowing red as he caught her reflection in the cabinet mirror. She had stripped herself down to nothing more than a beige towel, which clung stubbornly to her supposedly naked frame. "I won't take much longer, just wait!"

She didn't listen to him, coming around to the side of the bath and tentatively testing the water with a swirl of her finger. Ragna turned to face his head in the opposite direction, terrified over what she'd do if he saw her. A dull thump announced that her towel had been dropped, and a sloppy splash indicated that she'd joined him.

_Right on his lap._

Kokonoe sat there like a grounded child, folding her arms childishly and pouting in a equal manner. Glancing back in a judging way, she poked at his face with her tails. "... Dirty perv..."

"_I'm_ a dirty perv?!" Ragna repeated, opening his eyes rebelliously. It was funny really, but despite their state of undress they'd quickly sunk back into argument mode with no more than a single sentence. "You're the one who dived into my bath!"

Kokonoe turned her head back around, suddenly deciding to lean back against him. The water had quickly degenerated into a mildly cool pool, and her shivering form sought for some source of heat. "... I-It's more efficient... Water bills, and all that..."

He raised his eyebrow for what must've been the umpteenth time, resting his arms along the rim of the tub as to avoid touching her too much. Part of him knew she was getting some sort of perverse pleasure from this, her tail resting over his shoulder peacefully. The two simply sat there, the air heavy with the sort of awkwardness expected when a young, beautiful cat woman decides to randomly jump into a bath with you and sit on your lap.

"... Could you, uhhh... P-Pass the soap?" She stuttered, her arms wrapping tighter across her bare chest uncomfortably. Kokonoe had never really been that comfortable with her frame, and she'd probably only just realised the position she had thrown herself into. Maybe it was because she worked with the kind of women with breasts bigger than your head and the sort of hips that made it impossible to fit through most doors, but she had such a low self-esteem when it came to her looks that she was often seized with a great sense of discomfort in the nude.

_Made their love life all the more awkward, 'less she was driven by lust and simply stopped caring._

Ragna fumbled for the familiar pink bar, only to recall that he was currently holding it. Reaching over her shoulder, he shyly hovered it within her sight to grab her attention. She pinched it from him quietly, a whispered "Thank you." being her sole response before she got to work. Kokonoe kept one arm stubbornly across her chest as she slowly lathered herself, likely fearful that Ragna could see her front somehow.

"You know, that isn't going to work very well..." He commented as she fought for control with the devious chunk of soap, prompting a neutral snarl from her.

"I-I'm doing fine." She assured, rubbing at the same section of shoulder she'd been at since she started. As if resurrected by such a neutral and non-hostile comment, her snark instantly came back home."... The hell are you watching me for anyway?"

"Well sorry, I'm just saying!" He exclaimed, tilting his head to the side. The woman just wasn't making sense today, although in truth this sort of thing often happened to her when she felt embarrassed. Still, it didn't change the fact that they were lovers, and lovers are supposed to help one another aren't they? Slipping his hands from the rim of the tub, he placed them onto both of her shoulders in a protective and affectionate gesture. "... I can help, you know."

_Splash._

The soap slipped from her fingers from the moment he said "help", sliding away to hide like bars always seemed to do during a bath. Out of instinct rather than common sense, Ragna leant forward and reached over her to snatch it, prompting a nervous shudder from her. He froze in place as she slowly sunk against him, letting the warmth of his burly chest fill her frail body.

Something probably fell into place at that moment, because without much prelude she commanded him with all the bluntness of a fast food advert. "... H-Hold me."

He could feel the desperation coming from her voice, and it spurred him to motion instantly. He was quite the overprotective type, so with great haste he forgot about the soap and reeled back to hold her close. Her small hands reached out from their folded position, holding onto his firm forearm like a child clinging to their parent.

"You okay?" He asked, his grip around her gentle yet secure. Her tense body relaxed, snuggling for affection and companionship.

"Fine... C-Completely fine..."

"Koko, I know I'm not the sharpest..." Ragna began, assuming his parental role without hesitation. She was visibly shaken about something, and it was his _duty _to try and help. "... But I can tell something's wrong."

She remained silent, perfectly content with where she was. It was a strange habit, but she'd always preferred _him_ to a cushion or pillow. Nothing was weirder than waking up in the middle of the night to see her snuggled up to you, her pillow cast aside onto the floor.

"Kokonoe?" He repeated, dropping her playful nickname to try and snap her back to her senses. Tilting her head back, she did her best to look him in the eye yet her confidence wavered within moments. She turned back in surrender, resting her chin on his arm.

"... I just... I don't want to do _it _anymore." She admitted, her voice but a quiet murmur. Ragna knew exactly what she was talking about, the young woman having been considering such thoughts for months beforehand. Sector Seven wasn't exactly the nicest of places to work in, and that doubled for someone who was in a position of great responsibility. "I can't... I-I don't know what I'm fighting for..._ Who _I'm fighting for..."

"Join the club." He chuckled bitterly, agreeing with her on that point. He often wondered why he kept going, but in the end it was something that got buried between a billion other responsibilities he had to attend to.

_To be truthful, it was the same for her._

"It's _stupid_, it's so fuc... D-Dumb..." She whispered, avoiding the urge to drop a curse into the mix. Kokonoe had always been the sort who found comfort in swearing the night away, yet for such a serious topic she couldn't bear to use such childish words. "I-I'm at breaking point now, I can't keep it up!"

"Come on now, that's not like you." He reassured, perching his chin over her shoulder. She tilted her head towards his, letting his lips stray across her ears willingly. She was doing her best to hide it, but he could faintly hear her gentle purrs. "Weren't you the one who told me that giving up was for idiots?"

She looked downwards, gritting her feline teeth grumpily. "Then I'm an idiot, and that's _fine..."_

"I'm the idiot around her, Koko." He sighed, leaning against her softly. She responded with a similar gesture, the tip of her tail wiggling lovingly. "You're the one who carries all the weight; who works 24/7 because her co-workers are a bunch of lazy, arrogant _bastards."_

Kokonoe sniffled quietly for reasons he just couldn't pin-point. Feeling a tad bit more daring, Ragna lowered his arms and held them around the woman's waist. She traced his arms obediently, keeping her hands in place at all times.

"They need you. And if you ask me, that's reason enough to keep working." He concluded, rocking back and forth in the tight confines of the tub. Her ears wriggled at the sensation of his warm, confident breath against damp fur "But what does an idiot know, eh?"

"Y-You're not an idiot!" She blurted childishly, quickly turning her head to look at him. While her determination dwindled, she held her stare firmly. "... You're... M-My favourite person, Ragna... And..."

Ragna smirked, glad that he'd gotten through to her. It was always endearing to see her in such an out-of-character state, but as much as he enjoyed it he knew he shouldn't keep her like that; it made her uncomfortable in the long run, and he would have none of that. He teasingly rubbed her stomach - treating her like a lazy kitten. "And...?"

She reddened considerably, falling to his teasing nature. While she never liked to admit it openly, she did like pretending to be one of those endearing little cat girls people often assumed she'd be like. It was a stereotype and she knew it, but she'd always dreamed about being innocent, ditzy and _cute_. "K-Kitty doesn't favourite idiots..."

"Just keep trying, Koko. You'll work it out eventually." He smiled, curing her nerves in his own profound style. Kokonoe let her idiotic anime-esque comment hang in the air cheesily as he had his moment. "_We'll_ worked it out eventually."

Kokonoe's tone shifted within seconds, that sudden facade of bleak disinterest and mild anger taking control once more. "... You're such a pervert, you know that?"

He nodded, patting her stomach jokingly and prompting a grumpy snarl from her. Assuming business mode as if nothing had even happened, she hastily folded her arms across her chest once more and turned back from him.

"... I still want my bath, you know." She declared, the bar of soap floating by on its merry way. Expectantly she tilted her head back, briefly looking at him before turning around once more. "W-Well...? C-Chop chop!"

Like a slave driven on by the master's whip, Ragna took the hint and plucked the soap from the now freezing water. Kokonoe remained stiff as he slowly ran the bar down her arms, sighing to himself as he did so. "Guess I've got some use left, eh?"

"Oi." She gestured roughly, all romance and affection lost as she beckoned him to come close. Leaning towards her curiously to hear what she had to say, she quickly whispered into his ear shyly.

_"... Thanks."_

It wasn't really called for, but she took this moment to plant the cutest of kisses onto the tip of his nose. A kiss from Kokonoe often only came from times of great passion, and while he certainly didn't hate a luscious exchange with his lover, it was a strange yet enjoyable deviation to feel her lips in a different light. There was no animalistic lust as she pulled away from him, her lips curled into a gentle smile.

_Just undying, unbreaking, unshaking love._

_And he'd do all in his power to keep that smile shining._

"Thank you, so much..."

_All in a day's work._

X

_(A/N): The quickly melted into nonsense delight with mash in place of the vanilla :/_

_I was really optimistic with the writing of this, heck: it's been a while since I've done an entire write-up in a single day!_

_Yet something just went wrong, and it fell apart near the end... The pacing just seems off to be, I don't know :/_

_Review, favourite, whatever you want. I'd love some feedback on points to improve on, although it's been quite some time since I wrote for these two :P_


End file.
